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Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad February 22, 2005 Off The Vine Sleuth for spectacular vintage dates Lorn Razzano Somebody asked me the other day about vintage dated wines. On almost every label we see a date indicated either on the front or back label. Some wineries like to place a vintage date on a neckband just under the cork capsule, but that's pretty old school, fading quickly in the 1990s and today appears on fewer and fewer bottles. I have always felt that the winegrowing aspect of what we finally taste in a bottle of wine is the heart and soul of the wine itself. Of course good winemaking is crucial, but the raw material, that which the sun, rain and fine grape growing practices are really the telling part of the finished product. It's much like the gifted surgeon trying to do his or her best with a butter knife. In winemaking, skill can be augmented with many talented folks putting their heads together, but if Mother Nature won't give us the right amount of rain, sunshine or good earth, all the brains in the world will not make a fine wine. Superb vineyards with fine management make superb wines; with great weather, we have the finest wines. These are called Great Vintage Years or Great Vintages. Here's a compilation of great vintage years for different geographic points on the compass. You may want to refer to this list from time to time in your wine searches: Oregon Pinot Noir 1998-2002: All of these years were very good vintages. The 1997 vintage is now too old and was not very good to begin with. The 2001 vintage around Eugene was superb. Look for these gems. Tuscany 1997 and 1999: The home of the great Chianti and Brunello's wonderful 1997 vintage proved to be one of the greatest vintages of the century. The 1999 vintage is also a charmer. Look for the 2001 vintage also to be a big and powerful vintage. Spain 2001: If you are a Rioja drinker look for this vintage. Powerful and extracted. South Africa 2003: This year produced a stunning array of wines from a textbook vintage. There are some bargains in this part of the world not to be missed out on. The Piedmont 1985-2001: This glorious wine region of north western Italy is known for is broodingly rich Barbera and Nebbiolo grapes especially from the villages of Barolo and Barbaresco. The very elegant 2001 vintage the Piedmont capped a string of blockbuster vintages. This remains the region of best vintages in a row on Planet Wine. If you are not tasting the reds from this area you are missing the boat. California reds, Napa: The 1994 vintage was the finest in ten years followed by the 1997 and the 1999 vintages. The 2001 and 2002 vintages are also very fine but a little young to drink as well as pricey as can be! A very nice Napa cabernet sauvignon is upwards of $50 and climbing as I'm typing. Germany 2001-03: Sweet-tooth lovers can enjoy all three vintages. Again, the euro has battered the prices for Americans but the wines are very delicate and lovely. Port: The sticky and gorgeous red wines from Porto, Portugal are magnificent creatures. Here's the vintages; 1991, 1992, 1994 (awesome) 1995, 1997 and the monster 2000 vintage which probably won't be ready to drink until your grandkids graduate from college! I hope this list helps you. Take it with you as you shop around and find some nice values. See you next time! Lorn Razzano has been a commercial wine and spirits judge at state fairs in California, Oregon and Washington and is a co-founder KSOR wine tasting. He was on winery staffs of various Italian and French wineries in the 1970s, and has owned Ashland Wine Cellar since 1980. --> Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.